East Bay Police Pilots Accused of Faking Flight Tests to Get FAA Certified

OAKLAND, CA — Two Oakland Police Department helicopter pilots are accused of conspiring to defraud the Federal Aviation Administration by submitting false documents, court records show.

Federal prosecutors filed charges of conspiracy to defraud the FAA, FAA registration fraud and falsification of records against Oakland Police Department officers Brandon Mart and David Mac on Aug. 27, accusing them of trying to defraud the agency to obtain "various airman certifications," court records obtained by Patch show.

"We take these allegations seriously," said Oakland Police Department Chief James Beere in a statement on Thursday. "The employees in question were placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the case."

The Oakland Police Department said it could not provide more details, saying it was an ongoing personnel matter.

A third person, William Miller, is also charged in the indictment. Miller worked as an FAA safety inspector out of Florida, court records show.

Miller started helping Mart and Mac with the conspiracy sometime between July 2023 and March 2024, federal prosecutors said.

Mart and Mac submitted false documents for at least four separate checkrides, federal prosecutors allege.

Through this, Mart received three false certifications while Mac got one, federal prosecutors allege.

During one incident, Miller and Mart claimed they went on a checkride at Oakland International Airport, but the ride never actually took place, federal prosecutors said.

Records show Miller was in Lakeland, Florida, at the time and could not have been there for the test, federal prosecutors said.

Miller did complete a checkride at some point with Mart, but the latter did not complete the necessary maneuvers to be given a certification, federal prosecutors allege.

But, Miller gave Mart one anyway, federal prosecutors allege.

"As police officers, they're held to a higher standard both on and off duty, and that standard is not negotiable," Police Chief Beere said. "When an officer violates that trust, it not only undermines the integrity of that individual, but it also erodes the confidence our community has in the entire profession."

The indictment came days after Alameda County prosecutors filed charges related to timesheet fraud against Oakland Police Sergeant Kevin Arias.